Wild (Jean-Marc Vallée, 2014)

[mfunk9786]

Wild was an extended length pat on the back to someone who I can only assume is a raging egomaniac, framing an entirely voluntary vacation/athletic pursuit as some kind of martyrdom, rescuing the cringingly self-titled Cheryl Strayed from a largely usual life (punctuated by her own ego and lack of respect for everyone in her life but herself)... or just giving her something she could use to invite awed compliments at dinner parties. Maybe both? Either way, it's a gigantic waste of the viewer's time, directed with all the flavor of a soggy Clif bar, somehow managing to be a film traveling through some gorgeous swaths of nature that has a complete and utter indifference to nature itself. I had no idea that Vallée was capable of something so bad, but any good will he earned from the mostly strong and somewhat original Dallas Buyers Club is all gone for me now.

[flyonthewall2983]

Wild was an extended length pat on the back to someone who I can only assume is a raging egomaniac, framing an entirely voluntary vacation/athletic pursuit as some kind of martyrdom, rescuing the cringingly self-titled Cheryl Strayed from a largely usual life (punctuated by her own ego and lack of respect for everyone in her life but herself)... or just giving her something she could use to invite awed compliments at dinner parties. Maybe both? Either way, it's a gigantic waste of the viewer's time, directed with all the flavor of a soggy Clif bar, somehow managing to be a film traveling through some gorgeous swaths of nature that has a complete and utter indifference to nature itself. I had no idea that Vallée was capable of something so bad, but any good will he earned from the mostly strong and somewhat original Dallas Buyers Club is all gone for me now.

You might appreciate this

[mfunk9786]

I just came here to post this! Oh man. Yes, says it better than I ever could. The worst movie of the year, and I saw Annabelle!

[lacritfan]

Read the book before seeing this and while I wouldn't call myself a staunch supporter I do feel calling Cheryl Strayed an egomaniac and what she did a "vacation" is insulting. I don't want to get into an infighting/navel gazing debate over this so I'll start off by saying I respect mfunk and flyonthewall's viewpoint and opinions. Speaking for the other end of the spectrum, I found the story of a young woman raised by a single mother who died on her early, couldn't deal with it, then naively thinking the only way to get herself out of rock bottom was to hike a thousand miles and actually succeeding in "finding herself" again was inspiring. I felt she needed to get away from her family, bad influences, everything and spend time alone, but not just sitting somewhere but going through (what was for her) a physical challenge and the film did a good job conveying that. I thought this was Reese Witherspoon's best performance in years (certainly better than Walk the Line) so at the very least I recommend a rental if you feel you're on this side of the spectrum.

[swo17]

I found the story of a young woman raised by a single mother who died on her early, couldn't deal with it, then naively thinking the only way to get herself out of rock bottom was to hike a thousand miles and actually succeeding in "finding herself" again was inspiring...I thought this was Reese Witherspoon's best performance in years

Are you sure you didn't just accidentally watch Freeway?

[lacritfan]

I found the story of a young woman raised by a single mother who died on her early, couldn't deal with it, then naively thinking the only way to get herself out of rock bottom was to hike a thousand miles and actually succeeding in "finding herself" again was inspiring...I thought this was Reese Witherspoon's best performance in years

Are you sure you didn't just accidentally watch Freeway?

SpoilerShow

Have to admit it would've been great if she shot the rapey bow hunter.

[Siddon]

Wild was an extended length pat on the back to someone who I can only assume is a raging egomaniac, framing an entirely voluntary vacation/athletic pursuit as some kind of martyrdom, rescuing the cringingly self-titled Cheryl Strayed from a largely usual life (punctuated by her own ego and lack of respect for everyone in her life but herself)... or just giving her something she could use to invite awed compliments at dinner parties. Maybe both? Either way, it's a gigantic waste of the viewer's time, directed with all the flavor of a soggy Clif bar, somehow managing to be a film traveling through some gorgeous swaths of nature that has a complete and utter indifference to nature itself. I had no idea that Vallée was capable of something so bad, but any good will he earned from the mostly strong and somewhat original Dallas Buyers Club is all gone for me now.

Seems like it hit a nerve with you.

I would say we had a different reading of the subject matter. After surrounding herself with martyr's (her husband, her mother) and having both of those relationships collapse as horribly as possible, she chose to remove herself from society to fall off the grid. Were her decisions based on ego...of-course but I don't know how "usual" a life of poverty, drug abuse, and sexual dysfunction is.

What was the difference between this film and The Dallas Buyers Club, in essence it's the same story. An egotistical person hits rock bottom and without foregoing said ego goes on a journey to figure out how to survive. All kindnesses are treated in almost an alien form. Both films address another more interesting and fully characters death that inspires them.

If the film has a failure it's that the film wasn't shot as beautifully as it should have been considering the subject matter.

[flyonthewall2983]

I can't wrap my head around how a Clif bar gets soggy.